Somewhere in Dallas right now, a chef is figuring out how to fit a Snickers bar and foie gras into the same crust. Another is turning crab rangoon into a pie. A third is folding okra into white chocolate cream, on purpose. It’s pie season, and The Piehole Project is back.
The sixth annual Piehole Project online auction runs November 9 through 19, and this year 32 of the area’s best chefs are baking 33 one-of-a-kind pies for the cause. Bidding opens Monday, November 9 at 9 a.m. and closes Thursday, November 19 at 8 p.m. You can register and bid here.
The timing could not be better. Winning pies are picked up Monday, November 23, three days before Thanksgiving, from 1 to 5 p.m. at Dallas College, 11830 Webb Chapel Road, Suite 1200, or at Cafe Modern inside the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, 3200 Darnell Street. Delivery is available from 1 to 7 p.m. That’s one less pie to bake, and a far better story to tell at the table.
The money goes somewhere that matters. The Piehole Project started in 2020 as a grassroots, chef-driven pie auction and has since auctioned 243 pies and raised more than $60,000. It has grown into a year-round effort to support DFW chefs and train the next generation, with programs like The Cheffies: Chef’s Choice Awards, The Rising Stagiaire and its Family Meal Hangs.
Now, the pies. A few will start bidding wars. Phillip Halff II of Culney is making a Smoked Duck à l’Orange Pithivier Pie. Jacob Williamson is pulling double duty with a Foie Gras “Snickers” Pie for The Devonshire Club and a Beef Bourguignon Pie for the Alamo Club. Hao Tran of Duong DeVille is bringing The Crab Rangoon Royale, and Mike Matis of Fearing’s Restaurant is doing a Frito Pie, which might be the most Dallas thing on the list. Matt McCallister of River Sing went sentimental with Someone’s Grandmother’s Custard Pie, and Andrea Shackelford of Harvest at the Masonic is the one behind that Okra White Chocolate Cream Pie.
The rest of the lineup is just as strong. Toby Archibald of Quarter Acre is making a Bacon and Egg Pie, Jeff Bekavac of Goodwins and Corsaire a Star Crunch Cake, Dunia Borga of La Duni Baking Studio a Key Lime Pie, and Katherine Clapner of Dude Sweet Chocolate A Thruple of Chocolate. Laura Cottler of Bricks and Horses is baking a Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Pie, Audrey Dixon of J.Rae’s Bakery a Black Bottom Oat Pie, Salvatore Gisellu of Urban Crust a Pizza Rustica, and Jeffery Hobbs of Slow Bone BBQ a Martabak Manis.
Sean Jett of Humble Simply Good Pies has the Bourbon Street Bastard, Tasha Monticure of Bodega South Main a Pomegranate Cardamom Apple Pie, Jett Mora of Cafe Modern a Ribeye Cap Steak and Ale Pot Pie, and Eduardo Osorio of Meridian Buckwheat Foie & Smoke. David Pena of Fortunate Son is making an Amaretto Tiramisu Pie, Nikky Phinyawatana of Asian Mint Chef Nikky’s Matcha Pie, Anastacia Quiñones-Pittman of Oh Hi! Hospitality the Ube-Flantastic, and Abraham Salum of Salum Restaurant a Pennsylvania Shoofly Pie.
Michael Thomson of Michael’s Cuisine Restaurant & Bar is baking a Whiskey Chocolate Pecan Pie, Maricsa Trejo of La Casita Bakeshop a classic Pumpkin Pie, Sharon Van Meter of NOSA Restaurant & Inn a Dubai Chocolate Pie, and Rich Vana of The Heritage Table a Chocolate Cherry Pie. Cara Vasquez of The Flour Shop Bakery has a Chicken Pot Pie, Victor Villarreal of Star Cafe and The Devils Den The Ricotta Gardners Pie, and Nick Walker of Whiskey Cake Duck Duck – Goose! Rounding it out are Ariel Wakeland of Punch Drunk Chef Meal Prep with Just Another Work Dream, Ashleigh Wright of Legends Global with a Million Dollar Peanut Butter Pie, and Austin Wyatt of La Pistola with Rhubarb and Brie.
Bid early, bid often, and plan your Thanksgiving dessert table around whatever you win. Every slice helps a young cook get a little further down the line.
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